


Friendship can be Heartache

by bisexualnikiforov



Series: How to Make Boys-Next-Door out of Assholes [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Drinking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 00:29:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8349142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualnikiforov/pseuds/bisexualnikiforov
Summary: Victor Nikiforov drinks to forget that he is alone.  Yuuri makes him realize that he isn't.  Someday I will write their underlying romantic feelings but not today.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Yuri!!! on Ice or any characters affiliated. If I did, I'd be able to promise that this whole season is a Viktuuri slow-burn with amazing character growth.

Victor was a selfish man. That much he knew. He was considered a living legend, adored by thousands of fans. He had fame and money and beauty. He was so pampered, so spoiled, that he couldn’t remember the last time someone had told him “no”. How could it be that he still thought this was not enough?

Victor was a lonely man. He pretended not to be. He was constantly in the spotlight, constantly being given attention. Who could have known that someone could feel so isolated with all those eyes watching him? Who would have thought adoration would lead to lonely nights of worrying if anyone would ever care for him beyond his accomplishments?

So he drank. And then he drank some more. By the time he’d forgotten the questions that his self-doubt keeps asking him, nearly an entire bottle of sake had been drained. His vision felt not quite right and his stomach felt like it was doing flips. He knew if he gets up from his seat, he’ll just fall down onto the floor. Somehow, he still felt lonely.

“Are you okay?” asked the familiar, kind voice of Yuuri Katsuki. “Minako-sensei said you looked like you might need some help getting back to your room.”

Victor looked up at Yuuri. Since the beginning, Victor had been as rude to Yuuri as he had been to everyone else in his life. Yuuri hadn’t simply put up with it the way most had, begrudgingly accepting Victor’s antics. He knew Yuuri didn’t feel comfortable with how he was being treated, but Yuuri still cared about him. Yuuri had still come to check up on him.

Something snapped in Victor. He wrapped his arms tightly against Yuuri and burrowed his face in Yuuri’s neck. “Thank you for coming here,” he murmured. His eyes stung with the threat of tears. “You didn’t have to do that.”

After the initial shock, Yuuri patted Victor tentatively. “Come on, let’s you get back to your room.”

“Is it alright if I stay in your room tonight?” Victor asked hesitantly. He needed human contact right now, even if Yuuri spent the whole time asleep.

Yuuri sighed. “I suppose just this once.”

Victor used Yuuri as a human crutch as they staggered back to Yuuri’s room. Victor still felt like crying, but it felt different. He could no longer tell if the emotion that swelled up within him was sadness. It certainly was tinged with heartache, but there was something new and unusually pleasant as well.

“I’m sorry you had to come get me,” he finally said, far quieter than he typically spoke. “You shouldn’t have to do this for your coach.”

“It’s alright,” Yuuri assured him. “I’ve had to do this for Minako-sensei a few times, and Takeshi too. That’s what friends are for.”

“Friends?” Victor asked as they crossed the threshold into Yuuri’s room. “Are we friends?”

Yuuri blushed. “Well, I mean, I-I thought so,” Yuuri stammered. “At least a little. I’m sorry if I assumed too much.”

“But I’ve been terrible to you,” Victor lamented.

“You’ve been a rough coach,” Yuuri admitted. “But I’m sure you’re just doing what you think is best to help me improve, even if you’re a bit harsh and you disregard my personal space.”

Victor felt hot tears trickle down his cheeks. He had done nothing to deserve someone in his life who was as genuine and kind as Yuuri Katsuki.

“Did I say something wrong?” Yuuri asked, startled by Victor’s tears.

Victor embraced Yuuri in another crushing hug. This time, Yuuri hugged back, though his embrace was far gentler than Victor’s. Victor never wanted to leave the warmth of Yuuri’s arms. His heart beat hard and erratically. His lungs refused to breathe evenly of their own accord. His hands had begun to tremble as he tightened his grip on Yuuri. For a moment, Victor wondered is his heart was breaking, for he had never experienced such divine heartache.

“I promise to be a better friend,” Victor whispered. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll try to become the best friend anyone’s ever had.”

Yuuri chuckled. “Friendship isn’t a competition. No one can be the best at it. I’m just happy to be close to you now, no matter what you’re like.”

“You’re comfortable with me right now,” Victor finally noticed. “Why? Why right now? What specifically am I doing? I have to know so I can replicate it tomorrow.”

Yuuri laughed in earnest this time. “I don’t know. I guess you’re just, uh, not acting right now. You’re just being you.”

“Just being me,” Victor pondered. “I can do that.”

“I would hope so.” Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, I’m going to get some sleep. You should too. We have practice in the morning.”

“Can I sleep in your bed with you?” Victor asked.

Yuuri blushed. “That’s not really something friends do in Japan.” Noticing how crestfallen Victor looked, Yuuri conceded, “But I guess I can make an exception this one time.”

The two got settled into bed together. Yuuri fell asleep quickly, but Victor couldn’t sleep quite yet despite the fogginess in his head. He looked up and bookmarked several articles about Japanese social etiquette on his phone. He wanted to be sure he would not accidentally scare away his first and only friend.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr is @bisexualnikiforov as well if you want to scream with me about anime


End file.
